Ephrata, PA – July 30, 2025 – Today, the chairman of the Polityka Committee in the Senate Nick Miller conducted a secondary discussion at the round table about the current challenges of emergency services and the first rescuers in their communities.
“We have heard a clear and coherent message from the police and the fire brigade in the entire community of nations: they need public support and sufficient resources for recruitment and stopping new members. Listening directly from people on the front line is of key importance for shaping practical, responsive and effective principles” Senator Miller said. “Thank you to all testimonies who have shared their insights today, which will lead us in developing politicians who will support those who placed their lives on the line to ensure the safety of our communities.”
“Supporting the first Lancaster respondents is the highest priority for me” Senator Malone said. “Passup directly from our local police and the fire brigade about the challenges they face, is the best way for legislators to understand how we can support them. The next generation of the first providing rescuers to provide us with safety.”
“I am proud that I participated in a key discussion on supporting our first respondents.” Senator Costa said. “I worn a badge myself, I am joyful to make sure that the Democratic Senate club has the contribution of our officers because we provide secure communities for every Pennsylvanianian.
The head of Josh Kilgore from the Regional Police Department in the northern Lancaster County stated that programs such as Camp Cadet are vital for youthful people and positively affect them to join the people who grant rescuers in the future.
“Programs such as Camp Cadet are great, but why children want to go to these camps,” said Kilgore. “We must create this desire. I am deeply convinced that it starts at home.”
The head of Chris Mcki from the Police Department in Ephrata emphasized the need to change the policy, which includes retirement law.
“In many other states, you may not hurry and the service to go to one agency to another,” said MCKiM. “It does two things: he creates a desire for an officer to be unpleasant and maintaining good skills, and also makes sure that the municipality offers such a possibility [to grow] in the section. “
Jerry Ozog, a public safety specialist from Pennsylvania, Township Surveillance, talked with his experience from the national perspective and the challenges they see.
“The challenges that we see in the field of recruitment and retention differ depending on the demographic group,” said Ozog. “If you go through the northern level of Pennsylvania, the population is slightly decreasing, and what he leads to, there are fewer people available in some of these areas to be firefighters and EMT. However, Pennsylvania’s growth you see that the fire brigades and EMS more and more.
Boss Darryl Keizer from Garden Spot Fire Rescue testified that recruitment should start at a youthful age, but often, which is associated with sacrifice for our local rescuers.
“We push 14-year-olds to get involved and get them as juniors,” said Keizer. “Our members give up 325 hours of vacation in which they burned their holidays so that they could be in a cadet camp.”
The head of the fire brigade John Kottmyer from East Hempfield Fire Company emphasized the costs of growing equipment, and youthful volunteers are trying to stay due to rising living costs.
“The number of volunteers we reduced,” said Kottmyer. “The cost of the camera is phenomenal. Four years ago we bought Pumper and today we received a quote worth $ 430,000 more and I am not sure how volunteer fire brigades can ever compete with this in the future.”
Commissioner for the Fire Brigade, Thomas Cook from the Pennsylvania office of the State Fire Service Commissioner, said that recruitment is a very diverse problem and it is possible to see what works in various departments to bring success to those who fight.
“There is no silver ball,” said Cook. “We focus on identifying departments that are successful and how we work with other departments to implement this program.”
The testimonies of today’s interrogation included:
- Thomas Cook, Fire Brigade Commissioner, Pennsylvania Bureau of the State Fire Service Commissioner
- Jerry Ozog, public safety specialist, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
- Jamie Rohrer, head of the fire brigade, East St. Petersburg Fire Company Station 23
- John Kottmyer, head of the fire brigade, East Hempfield Fire Company
- Josh Kilgore, boss, Regional Police Department in Northern Lancaster
- Chris MCKiM, boss, Department of Police in Ephrata
- Eric S. Higgins, boss, West Earl Township Police Department
- Darryl Keizer, boss, Garden Spot Fire Rescue
Senator Nick Miller was elected chairman of the policy of the Senate of the Democratic Club in December 2024. Today’s interrogation was its eighth chairman.
The film material from the interrogation, as well as the written testimonies of the panel, are available at Pasenatormiller.com/policy. Photographs and video for download are available on demand.
Learn more about the PA Senac Democrats commitment to protect the needs of healthcare in Commonwealth and other legislative priorities at www.pasenate.com.
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